The Non-Auditory Labyrinth and Positional Alcohol Nystagmus

Abstract

It has been previously established that positional alcohol nystagmus (PAN) is dependent on the presence of the non-auditory labyrinths, even though the site of action of the alcohol is thought to be central. The relative importance of the semicircular canals and the otoliths in PAN was investigated by experimental surgery. When all six canals were inactivated in cats, without interfering with otolith function, PAN no longer occurred.